Normally, a multi-storey garage that can be used for storage of cargoes features an elevator and cells in a high-rise or silo arrangement (see U.S. Pat. No. 3,330,083). The rows of cells form sections. The process of storage consists in lifting the cargo along a special shaft and placing it on a respective shelf (bottom of the cell).
The throughput of such a garage is limited, since other vehicles or containers are kept waiting while the elevator is occupied by one piece of cargo. The elevator shaft is used exclusively for moving cargoes (cars), thereby adding extra space to the garage. A person wishing to recover his (her) car will have to wait for the elevator to come up for the car and then come down, thus increasing the average waiting time. And, finally, failure of the elevator will make it impossible to load and unload, retrieve or park the car.
Also known in the art are more efficient ways of storage and multi-storey garages of greater capacity, wherein the sections are interconnected by running ways on which travel two to three stacker cranes, so that the loading process is two-dimensional (see UK Patent No. 2167394 or No. 2175575). However, these methods and the depots (garages) based thereon possess the same essential drawbacks (low throughput, low packing density of cargoes or vehicles leading to excessive floor space requirements, low reliability). It should also be noted that known garages have a rigid structure which prevents them from being fitted in between building, built up or partially dismounted.
Therefore, the primary object of the present invention is to permit compact arrangement of cargoes (vehicles).
Another object of the present invention is to increase the efficiency of the method and, consequently, the throughput of the depot (garage) and reduce the waiting time.
Still another object of the invention is to improve the reliability of the garage (depot) by ensuring its normal functioning even in the case of partial failure of the equipment.
A further object of this invention is to all the depot (garage) to be realized in any architectural design, i.e. to ensure flexibility of construction.
An additional object of the present invention is to improve the fire safety of the depot (garage) by localizing the source of the fire.
Another additional object of this invention is to raise the level of automation by providing the means for controlling the movement of cargoes either by a single operator or by fully automatic facilities.
Still another additional object of the present invention is to enhance the repairability of the garage by making provisions for correcting any malfunction without interfering with the process of loading and unloading.
A further additional object of the present invention is to prevent unauthorized access to the cargo (car) as a safeguard against larceny and vandalism.